The present invention relates to commerce and, more particularly, to a system for managing assets and relationships.
People, companies, and other organizations (“Consumers”) buy, lease and sell things, either physical products, or services. Hereinafter, these products and services are collectively referred to as “assets”. Consumers need to keep track (i.e., a detailed inventory) of their assets, for a variety of reasons: warranties; periodic maintenance; payment schedules and history; proof of ownership for insurance purposes; proof of purchase for returns; product recalls because of safety issues; income taxes; etc.
There are also other ongoing relationships, both contractual and less formal, that are unrelated to a physical asset, for example the affiliation with a particular doctor or dentist, or a personal life insurance policy, which still share many of the characteristics described above.
Keeping track of assets for these purposes is burdensome and onerous. Most consumers do not do it fully or effectively. For assets that require periodic maintenance, such as cars, it would be convenient to be reminded automatically of such events. In some circumstances, being fully aware of the extent and details of their assets can promote wiser purchasing and selling decisions.
Moreover, there usually are contracts, agreements, or less formal ongoing relationships that pertain to these assets. For example, a car that is initially purchased or leased has an associated purchase contract or lease agreement. The car's manufacturer provides a warranty. The consumer will obtain liability and collision insurance, and perhaps also an extended warranty. During the course of ownership, ongoing relationships may be established, such as with the local service station that the consumer uses to perform periodic and as-needed maintenance, or with a “detailing” establishment that might be engaged to wash and wax the car periodically.
For a single asset, set of assets, or a class of assets, consumers would benefit by being able to readily determine (or to be automatically reminded of), information such as payment dates, expiration dates, renewal dates, expenditure history, next mandated maintenance date, next scheduled maintenance appointment, etc.
In many cases, the vendor also has an interest in tracking the particulars of their contract or ongoing relationship with the consumer. For example, while many vendors have their own internal systems for keeping track of their relationships with their customers, many vendors might still find it useful to have access to the consumer information described above in order to send reminders to the consumer that it's almost time to have their teeth cleaned or their oil changed; or simply to suggest various goods and services, such as clothing, that complement or supplement their existing assets or relationships.
And in some cases, the consumer may wish to permit access to classes of vendors, even those with whom the consumer has had no prior relationship, in order to allow those vendors to propose goods and services.
In some circumstances, a consumer will have in his inventory various types of assets which he routinely acquires, sells or trades, e.g., jewelry, clothing, fine arts, collectables, stamp collections, etc. An individual selling his own car through the conventional means of print advertising is generally bombarded with repetitive and annoying telephone calls for detailed information and must manually filter these to determine a genuine prospect. Similarly, when purchasing items such as clothing, the consumer is more likely to make a wiser purchasing decision if he/she is fully aware of the existing contents of their closets and the closets of immediate family members.